"But!" he exclaimed, "now look here, my boy, please understand that we don't allow remarks of any kind in the army. Go and get another pair of boots and trousers, and look sharp about it." I stumbled back towards the bootmaker. "The Captain says," I began, "that these boots are too large for me and that you must find me another pair." "Ah, these d----d _Volontaires_, what a lot of trouble they give us!" sighed the bootmaker. After looking through all his stock he chucked three more pairs at me. In vain I tried to get into them, and called the bootmaker to show him that none of them would fit me. "Why the deuce don't you take off your socks, socks aren't regulation," he angrily retorted. Notwithstanding my protests, I had to take them off. At last I managed to get one foot inside a boot, but the other, notwithstanding the efforts of two strong men, resisted. "All right," said the bootmaker, "I'll stretch it a bit later on." So with only one boot on I hobbled to the tailor. "The Captain says my trousers are too short," I told him. "Oh, I'll soon put them to rights," he answered. Having pulled my braces lower down he thereupon proceeded to crease the leather at the bottom of the trousers. "Now go back to the Captain," he said. When I once more appeared before that officer he looked at me in utter disgust. "Why have you only got one boot on? Bootmaker," he shouted, without leaving me time to reply, "can't you find a pair of boots for this man?" "No, sir," replied the bootmaker, who had hurried up at the officer's command, "he's got an instep like I've never seen." "What business has a cripple like you in my squadron?" angrily remarked the Captain. "But, sir----" I began. "Shut up," he howled; "if you answer me again I'll send you straight off to the cells!" and without looking at my trousers, he angrily told me to put on my tunic, which I had removed at his orders. I did so, and was then ordered to fold my arm over my chest. "What's that?" said the Captain; "how dare you come and show me such a tunic? Are you such a fool as not to see for yourself it's too small?" Warned by previous experience I made no reply, and returned limping with my single boot to the tailor. I explained to him that the Captain found my tunic too small. "All right," he said, "I'll soon make it larger." He pulled it about a little and sent me back to the Captain, who once more ordered me to fold my right arm over my chest. "Sleeves too long, go and change," he said brusquely. I returned to the tailor and explained matters to him. "Never mind, my boy," he said; "I'll make you one that will fit you, it won't cost you much, and, of course, you have got money--you're a _Volontaire_; now pull up your sleeve a bit and hold it tight under your arm before the Captain looks at you." I did so. "Fold your arms," once more said the Captain, when I returned to him for inspection. I followed the tailor's instruction. "It's too small," yelled the Captain, "go and change."